Nassau, Bahamas - Even while inadequate housing and unemployment issues plague the community, The Ft. Charlotte Urban Renewal Centre on August 24 distributed food and school supplies to hundreds of needy children preparing to return to school.
“Some of the challenges we face are limited supplies to meet the demands of the people. The people’s needs are great and we have a lot of social problems. They need proper housing, food, clothing and financial assistance,” said Patricia Walker, manager of the Centre.
“They come here for help and are looking for us to provide jobs. Some have been to social services already and are looking for school uniforms for their children to have for Monday morning.”
Residents living in the Quarry Mission and McQuay Street area, as well as Pitt Road, have been waiting for assistance to install toilets in their homes. Approximately, 10 people in the area have outhouses that need to be removed.
St. Michael’s Methodist Church was able to help one man on Farrington Road with repairing his house and installing a bathroom.
“A lot of persons in the area don’t have inside toilets. They are still using outhouses. St. Michael’s has brought in a group and they have been helping the area with some major repairs,” said Mrs. Walker.
“Small Home Repairs in the Ministry of Housing has been with us to help, but I know funds are limited. If we can, we would like to get some social group to assist us, along with the government.”
Churches and businesses in the area regularly engage in philanthropic activities and support Ft. Charlotte Urban Renewal, including St. Michael’s Methodist Church, Holy Spirit Anglican Church, D&C Take-away Restaurant and Archer’s Nursery.
Parents are encouraged to also support Urban Renewal and come out to community meetings, rather than using the centre as a babysitting service.
“They will bring their children, drop them off, and ask what time they can pick them up, but they don’t stay. The problem is getting the parents involved,” said Mrs. Walker.
“We try to encourage them by saying they could benefit from Urban Renewal as well. We had a parents' seminar lately, but it was poorly attended. It could be their work schedule, but we tried it in the day and in the afternoon.”
Family planning seminars are also a priority for Urban Renewal. The centre recently resolved a case where a single mother with eight children, and one on the way, had not enrol any of her children in school. They did not even have birth certificates. Urban Renewal intervened to get the children enrolled in school.
“After back to school, we want to hold seminars with Social Services about family planning and parenting to really educate people on these issues. It will make their lives easier,” said Mrs. Walker.
